The Sharks u18 Craven Week and other youth week teams are expected to be announced on Wednesday, 21 May 2025.
This was undoubtedly a difficult year to pick players, as there was good competition in numerous positions and not too many clearcut favourites. The choices at loosehead prop and scrumhalf will be of great interest.
For now here is my final picks including an attempt to overcome the difficulty at loosehead.
| SBR Blog KZN u18 |
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| 1 | Bandile Mncwango | 1 of 5 Westville | |
| 2 | Josh Grant | 1 of 4 Hilton | |
| 3 | Josef Udo-Idung | 1 of 3 Durban HS | |
| 4 | Liam Terblanche | 1 of 4 Northwood | |
| 5 | Chad Howse | 2 of 4 Northwood | |
| 6 | Emmanuel Dankwah | 2 of 4 Hilton | |
| 7 | Zander Muller | 3 of 4 Hilton | |
| 8 | Jamie Wimble | 3 of 4 Northwood | |
| 9 | Liam Simpkins | 2 of 5 Westville | |
| 10 | Liyema Nela | 4 of 4 Hilton | |
| 11 | Jadrian Afrikaner | 3 of 5 Westville | |
| 12 | Lizwe Mtetwa | 1 of 3 Glenwood | |
| 13 | Nathan Aneke | 2 of 3 Durban HS | |
| 14 | William Ridl | 1 of 2 Michaelhouse | |
| 15 | Zekhethelo Siyaya | 4 of 5 Westville | |
| 16 | Theo Boshoff | 1 of 2 Maritzburg Coll | |
| 17 | Uze Xaba | 2 of 3 Glenwood | |
| 18 | Nicolas Salamousas | 2 of 2 Michaelhouse | |
| 19 | Sambesiwe Ndamase | 3 of 3 Glenwood | |
| 20 | Wandile Simelane | 5 of 5 Westville | |
| 21 | Jed mun Gavin | 4 of 4 Northwood | |
| 22 | Jordan van Wyk | 3 of 3 Durban HS | |
| 23 | Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein | 2 of 2 Maritzburg Coll |
@TheGoose (Comment #57)
Yep, finally sanity prevails. I don’t believe he was injured, just not picked for Craven Week. Literally no Glenwood coaches involved in the teams or selection, just the figurehead Mr Pyoos. Lian Lochner can count himself unlucky too
LIZWE MTETWA IN SA U18A SQUAD
Good to see that Lizwe Mtetwa has been selected for the SA u18A squad. Was he injured for Craven Week?
@Pamos (Comment #55)
Lizwe Mtetwa was very unlucky not to be picked for CW.
Personally I would have gone for the Hilton 12 Tristan Uys after him.
Kearsney 12 Keanu Williamson was also outstanding today against Collegeand has been constant all season. Doan Nel next to him at 13 would also make a decent enough 12.
Lizwe Mtetwa putting the sharks selectors to shame with his performance vs Westville and his opposite number Sean Mc McGough… running straight over him and around him a few times today..
@Raps (Comment #49)
Koopman out played both van Wyk and Carolus today
@Raps (Comment #49)
It was a tough year. Fender is another name one might have banked on being in an u17 AW team. Kosani has had some great performances at 13 for College this season as well. Along with Aneke, these boys set up a very good battle for Sharks CW outside centre honours in 2026.
I think it was always going to be touch and go between Ndamase and Mlaba. Not much to choose between them, so I guess Dusty went with his Westville player.
@Raps (Comment #49)
Interesting. NS’s exclusion from both the CW and AW squads has sparked a bit of a parent inquisition at House — and it’s long overdue. The emphasis on boys who are genuinely keen to play provincial rugby hasn’t been given the attention it deserves.
In this case, the excuse was that the MHS selector couldn’t attend the selection meeting on the Sunday due to a change in time. However, it seems MHS parents aren’t buying it, as the attitude towards provincial rugby preexisted. More drama, then, for MHS Rugby and the Head — in a season that’s already veered off course.
@Bungee (Comment #50)
Me as well!
@Raps (Comment #49)
I agree. His magnificent surname was the only reason I was really interested in this squad selection and his non-selection has left me in mourning the last bit.
The exclusion of Salamousas is borderline scandalous. Moolman, Mthetwa, Dankwa, Ndamase and Guy Fender are unlucky to miss out. Koopman over Carolus is also mind boggling. I thought Jose Lottering from DHS, Makhali and Adonis stood an outside chance
@beet (Comment #47)
If not mistaken I do believe Northen KZN attends the VKB week at Reitz every year
@Kaya 85 (Comment #42)
Sadly Tier 2 in KZN is not like Noordvaal or the Western Cape. Its a fairly large dropoff now. Not too long ago George Campbell and Port Natal saw good rewards from all their hard but work even they have declined. Clifton is a very young high school and had bridged the gap, even been considered Tier 1 on merit but they too face a bit of an uphill rugby challenge at the moment.
KZN Country Districts made up mainly of Northern Natal and some Zululanders were part of Academy Week in the past but lost that place, probably because they were deemed too weak to hold their own. Their best boys remain an excellent supply line to KZN Tier-1 high schools
@Meesh N (Comment #39)
Thanks. Their opponents for the big game on the Rec this weekend, Grey High have zero u19s
@Henkies (Comment #37)
In short no. I think Kearsney are grateful for his contributions and his added weight was much needed but KC lineouts have been a long term issue dating back a long time now. I think the selectors did well at hooker. Mbanjwa is a valued player. I don’t think he can match Boshoff’s power factor in the loose but in terms of lineout accuracy which is so key to success he perhaps comes out with a higher rating. Josh Grant was an easy pick. He is mobile and good aggression.
@Meesh N (Comment #40)
not selected…another “weird” one
How is this for controversial, schools who had no or limited picks officially break away from the KZN union & create their own team, the KZN Barbarians! Best of the rest. All provinces do this & have their own week at the same time. They pick a national Barbarians who play against SA Schools. All funded by a French or UK Club who then gets to contract the best players from that team. No more bias, Old Boys clubs etc…
Here’s a thought:
Tier 2 and Country Districts KZN should have their own dedicated team and apply to participate in Iqhawe week…
I remember way (way) back I was part of a similar conversation/debate about the composition and selection of the Natal CW team and all of the same issues and biases came up. My DHS pal used the selection of an “unknown” flyhalf for CW as proof of the bias against his side – one Clinton van Rensberg (who would go on to play hundreds of Sharks games). The ‘proof’ the process was biased? How could the selectors choose someone from HS Werda !
Does anyone know what happened with the Northwood hooker & captain? Thought he was having a great season & was up there with Grant. Is he perhaps injured? u19? or dare I say he just wasn’t selected?
@beet (Comment #32)
As far as i’m concerned Queens have 3 u19s namely Thina Fenako (13) Ayathanda Mtyando (14) & Mveli Mqulo (15). The rest seem to be pretty evenly divided amongst the u17s & 18s.
The DHS hooker has also had a great season so far
Beet do you think the Kearsney hooker was unlucky to miss out? His size would stand the side well against the big packs Kzn will face and his lineout throwing looked very good too.
@Grasshopper (Comment #34)
The explosive Nhlanhla Ndlovu was probably Kearsney’s best bet for CW selection this season. He is a good prospect for 2026 but maybe too light this year. Kearsney look set to address this starting in the 3rd term with an new HP programme. Wimble and Muller are both very good u17 players as well. Both are big and strong. I think they both deserved their places in the CW team.
Next year Nhlanhla will hopefully be as good as Carlyle Hawkins was for House last year. Kearsney had a player like Nhlanhla a few years ago – Connor de Bruyn – who started off as a looseforward and was converted to a centre at 1st XV level but maybe too late to make that same change now.
@beet (Comment #32)
Totally agree
@beet (Comment #33)
Heads should certainly not be in the panel & Glenwood not getting one coach or manager is just poor show. Kearsney not a player in the main squad, I cannot believe that. Where are the smaller school bolters like back in the day, like Porties, Gelofte, Voortrekker, Clifton etc. It doesn’t look good the bias towards a couple of schools….
@Grasshopper (Comment #27)
Selections are not an exact science! So people will naturally have a difference in opinion. What we all should hope for is a fair / unbiased process.
I remember for many years I was opposed to the how the KZN selection panel was made up. Certain schools were favoured and others marginalised. The whole clique was called the Old Boys Club for good reason.
But the thing to be proud of in KZN is changes were made to make the panel more inclusive. Sure there are still issues to iron out every year but one generally cannot moan about the panel. Every school has a representative. The head coach generally has more say and 8 are from his school but in the two years before this it was not the case. Maybe there is a case to say headmasters and deputy headmasters should not be allowed to serve as selectors due to the positions of authority and commitment to the cause it requires, but that again that exclusion decision should be up to the schools and Sharks Committee to agree on together.
Here is the panel for 2025:
C The Sharks (Convener) Donald Ngwenya
1 Kearsney College Kwanele Ngema
2 Northwood School Jacques Deen
3 St Charles College Craig Dwyer
4 Glenwood High School Gerald Pyoos
5 Westville Boys High Dusty Noble
6 Durban High School Tony Pinheiro
7 Hilton College Cameron Fraser
8 Michaelhouse Graeme Lucas-Bull
9 Maritzburg College Kelvin Elder
10 Clifton School Heinke van der Merwe
11 Tier 2 Urban & CD Damian Varney (HSRB)
@RuggaFreak (Comment #29)
How many u19s are there in the Queen’s 1st XV?
The general expectation is zero. 1 or 2 is tolerable. More than that is generally frown upon. Reason: in age-group rugby a year older often translates to big, stronger, more confident and normally quicker too. Having u19s add a huge advantage.
@TJ (Comment #28)
Conspiracy theory 😉 but not implausible
@RuggaFreak (Comment #29)
Yes, this is a Craven Week post…..
@Grasshopper (Comment #20)
Schools have nothing to do with craven week. Your best eligible players represent the first team, it’s simple as that.
@Griffin (Comment #26)
Promises were made and promises were kept…
No Kearsney at all…….so bad…..
@Crashball (Comment #25)
Agree with you here – massive bias in the 10 jersey, and completely unfair in my opinion. Shouldn’t even be in the academy week, or even the Westville 2nds for that matter. Wrong on so many levels…
@Skywalker (Comment #24)
Regrettably this once again screams of selection bias. I am the first to say that you shouldn’t go on the trials-day form only but ironically Jed didn’t have a great trials day but has had a really good season. The Hilton 9 has been poor to average the whole year but stands out physically and has a “reputation.” It suggests that once you’re in the system, you’re “safe.” Jed (and others) had done enough to get the #21 jersey this season…
How van Wyk from DHS was left out is also laughable, seemingly for a player that had left the province at the end of last year- went home to the Cape, moved between two schools then arrived back in KZN for rugby season. Until a few weeks ago was in the Ville 2nd side
I feel for Jed Mun-Gavin too, for NW. He has been very good from what I have seen at 9. So quick and nippy and good passing too. But a lot of competition as you say.
Biggest surprises for me
1. Sean McGough
2. Jade-Will Koopman
3. No Nick Salamousas at all – incl u17 AW
4. No Jordan van Wyk
5. No Glenwood players in the CW mix, with Lizwe Mtetwa being the most notable. Even their 9 Lian Locknar was a contender – Andy Capostagno gave him such a nice quality reference at Sharks Day
6. The choices at 1 and 9 were always going to be interesting from the get go
@beet (Comment #19)
No Mtetwa, Xaba or Ndamase for Glenwood, what a farce. No Glenwood coaches and probably no Glenwood selectors. Roles reversed from 10 years ago. Mtetwa will be bleak, one of the best centres & captains in the province….
@Couchcoach (Comment #1)
This u18 group for DHS never had alot of standout players but was always a strong unit which is illustrated by the fact that they had only 1 u16 Grant Khomo player back in 2023 but were a very competitive side who beat a few of its KZN rivals at u16 level. That being said, the number of u19s this year is an anomaly at around 5 when usually it is around 2 or 3 which is the number they has had last year when they had 9 craven week players (3 of which are back this year as u19). The 1st team this year also has 5 u17 players as well who all made GK last year with DHS having 8 GK players in total
@RuggaFreak (Comment #15)
I get that BUT Craven Week is u18, that is the point. Under18’s might miss out as not exposed to 1st team, you guys don’t get it. Two separate debates.
Teams posted above
@ForeverHorseFly (Comment #14)
It was hypothetical, heard of that before? You tell us exactly how many there are then……Glenwood had about 5 at one stage and one Under25 player. DHS had their under25 player in Payi at the same time……stop being a numpty
@Grasshopper (Comment #13)
A lot of factors, it could be boys failing a grade and that’s okay too. DHS gives kids from rural backgrounds an opportunity so sometimes those boys fail a grade due to the enhanced learning barriers etc but end up adjusting. The opportunity still changes the kids life when he matriculates at 19 having received quality education and showcased their talent.
@Smallies (Comment #12)
Exactly and some kids fail a grade and that’s okay too, not every kid grasps the learning outcomes like their age mates.The complaints of fielding an u19 is as if 19 year olds are not teenagers and are 21 year olds.
@Grasshopper (Comment #11)
You saying it should be u18A, that’s your opinion, at the end of the day it’s u19A, until that changes there’s no crime or anything shameful about fielding a 19 year old. If you talented enough you’ll rise above the u19 even as an u17, it’s simple as that. Nothing shameful here. The DHS coaching staff made the decision to field the u19, those are their boys and not for us to intervene and complain about their systems.
@Grasshopper (Comment #13)
That you think DHS has 8 to 9 u19s in their team says everything we need to know about anything you say on this blog.
@Smallies (Comment #12)
So DHS with like 8 or 9 U19’s just happen to have those numbers put into school late hahahahh, yes…..
@Grasshopper (Comment #11)
You can’t reason like that….some kids were put in school late and through no fault of their own are older than their class mates
@RuggaFreak (Comment #10)
In that Craven Week is U18 and u18’s are kept out of 1st teams by u19s so don’t get the 1st exposure they need to get into the Craven Week side (let alone the trials if they are 1st team only). With so many u19s in the DHS side as an example, some of the best u18s are in schools 2nd team. School rugby should be U18 full stop. If you U19 go play Varsity Cup or Club rugby with the big boys then see how you ‘dominate’ physically etc….
@Grasshopper (Comment #3)
What’s shameful about an u19A team fielding u19s? 😂
@Couchcoach (Comment #1)
Why should there be limits on number of u19s when first team rugby is literally u19A? If you good enough at 17 or 18 you will play craven week, simple. No blocking here.
SOME THOUGHTS
Vorster from Hilton as the back up 9. He was better last year but his reputation and impreesive physical appearance seems to carry a lot of weight (pun intended)
Abijade will also make it. He’s already signed with one of the inland unions and was at the EPD camp. He can cover off 7/8/4/5.
And then I predict the Ville lock makes the starting side. Can’t remember his name.
Ridl is a bit of a bolter for me but his versatility gets him in. I think he’s a 13/11/14 that could play 12 at a squeeze.
And finally I’m not sure about Sinkfontein, he hasnt been as good thisbywar either. Although College will need to get their allocation in to keep the peace.
We should pick an “unlucky XV”
@beet (Comment #6)
Agree. I think it works well as you say. Looking forwrad to the team being announced
@Skywalker (Comment #4)
You just have to listen to the complaints coming out of other parts of the country to appreciate that the guys running the show in KZN have done the right thing.
In a busy part of the SBR season, plus with exams around corner, key players are having to attend full contact trials in midweek, where a number of them are playing for a place in the next round or at a youth week, then go back and prepare for an interschools match on the weekend.
All regions are obliged to hold fair trials. In many instances its a series of give it your all midweek commitments. In KZN the key event is one weekend, playing for your own school.
Understandably one is never going to please all the people all the time but I bet there are a lot of other schools in other provinces who wish they had what the KZN/Sharks have going.
During the season there are also HP sessions. To me those should be structured to allow selectors and coaches to have a closer look at players incl SCC players and test specialist and general aspects amongst other things. Also the SCC fixture list has been competitive enough to gauge players ability against useful opposition who do not dominate them.
@Couchcoach (Comment #1)
I just feel that William is an outstanding individual talent. He’s got good size, power and pace. He offers genuine advantage line penetration and has stood out this season with his strong carries and finishes. He definitely deserves a place in the Craven Week team. And he is definitely the kind of player for post school junior pro age-group rugby, starting next year.
That said, at the start of the campaign, MHS looked like they had a red-hot backline — even before we realised just how good Jankowitz is at fullback. O’Sullivan was expected to be the backline star, and his combination with WR was tipped to be unstoppable. But as a pairing, WR and DoS just haven’t clicked. As a result, MHS have struggled to get the best out of RoS or even their decent back three.
My assessment is that, as good as WR has been on an individual level, his pass-run decision-making — and even his pass game — still needs some work. I’m confident it’ll be addressed through high-performance skills coaching next year.
Mtetwa, who is also big and solid, has his own areas to improve, but at Glenwood he’s being coached to play a more fluid, attacking brand of rugby — ironically, the kind of flowing backline play that used to be House’s hallmark.
Lastly, WR also covers 12, so he can slot in as a rotational option during matches.
@KatzRugga (Comment #2)
It would be interesting to mix it up again like they used to. This is a new format. The downside is maybe that the boys dont play together and so it can be disjointed and not showcase their talents either.
Gosh, only 3 from DHS, just shows the team in mostly u19…..a shame….
@Couchcoach (Comment #1)
I so agree.
As the team is most likely pre set prior to a normal one day fixture it would be nice for some mixed teams to play. To Your point the Likes of the St. Charles chap might very well stand out in a stronger outfit.
It is also about trying a few combinations prior to the actual tournament.
The current format smells a little bit of a one sided fund raiser as main objective.
Beet – interested to hear why you would pick Ridl on the wing? He’s played 12 all season from what I’ve watched, and for me is a strong contender to start there. I think most of your calls are pretty solid. Wing is a challenging call as there are a lot of decent players, but not sure if there are clear standouts. Do you feel Ajibade from St Charles might be worth giving a chance in a stronger team? He always seems to stand out in a team going backwards, and is a physical, athletic specimen.
There has been a lot of discussion around DHS recruiting far and wide, but for me the bigger issue is the number of u19 players they field. It’s a real shame that the strongest rugby program in the province offers relatively few options to the Craven Week selectors, and that so many u19s are blocking opportunities for the guys who should be getting a platform this year. It seems crazy that there isn’t a reasonable limit – 2 or 3 u19s as a maximum on the field at any time.